Air cleaners are widely used for removing foreign substances from the air. The foreign substances can include pollen, dander, smoke, pollutants, dust, etc. In addition, an air cleaner can be used to circulate room air. An air cleaner can be used in many settings, including at home, in offices, workrooms, etc.
An air cleaner can include any type of mechanical filter element comprising a mesh, a weave, a foam, etc. An air cleaner can further include electrical air cleaning components, such as a collector cell that removes dirt and debris from the airflow of the air cleaner. A collector cell can include an ionizer and/or an electrostatic precipitator.
The electrostatic precipitator and the ionizer operate by creating high-voltage electrical fields, typically in excess of 5,000 volts. Dirt and debris in the air becomes ionized when it is brought into this high voltage electrical field by an airflow. Charge plates or electrodes in the electrostatic precipitator air cleaner, such as positive and negative plates or positive and ground plates, create the electrical field and one of the electrode polarities attracts the ionized dirt and debris. Because the electrostatic precipitator comprises electrodes or plates through which airflow can easily and quickly pass, only a low amount of energy is required to provide airflow through the electrostatic precipitator. As a result, foreign objects in the air can be efficiently and effectively removed.
The ionizer can comprise charge wires and ground plates, wherein the ionizer charges particles in the airflow before the airflow enters the electrostatic precipitator. The charging of the particles can neutralize or kill living organisms. The ionized particles of the airflow are subsequently attracted to ground potential surfaces. As a result, the electrically charged dirt and debris is more likely to be pulled out of the airflow when the airflow passes through the electrostatic precipitator.
Periodically, the electrostatic precipitator can be removed and cleaned. Therefore, the air cleaner must include some manner of access door that allows persons to access internal components. The door further allows removal of the electrostatic precipitator and other filter elements for cleaning, replacement, or other maintenance.
The high operational voltage level of a collector cell presents a safety concern in that it presents a significant danger of shock or electrocution. It is imperative that the air cleaner include sufficient safety features to prevent intentional and unintentional contact with any high voltage components. Specifically, the air cleaner must be designed so that small children, who cannot appreciate the danger and who cannot appreciate warning labels, cannot access the interior components.
The prior art has drawbacks. The prior art does not provide door latch that minimizes risk of contact with high voltage components. The prior art does not provide a door latch that is simple and compact, yet requires a relatively complex manipulation process that must be performed in sequence in order to open the door.